My Year-Long Journey in Bible Study

Okay. Do I have everyone's attention now? This is kind of a HUGE deal, so listen up! (or just continue reading...that works too)

Today is the day! Yes, TODAY! I've been on a very llllloooooonnnnnnnggggg (but very rewarding) journey following God and deepening my relationship with Him and my faith. For a while now, I've been searching for the perfect Bible for me to dive into, head first - throwing caution into the wind and all! Well, as many of you might be aware, bibles aren't cheap! *opens wallet* *crickets chirping*. Seriously though, they are expensive, and I am poor. Not a very good combination! But, sacrifices were made (I sure am hungry...) and I was able to finally purchase the Bible that I fell in love with! Now, I'm sure you're thinking to yourself, "How do you fall in love with a Bible?" It's easy, folks! First of all, it is the Word of God. Hello?!?! But it's also not a 'boring', 'black' Bible. It's rich with color, footnotes, end notes, spark notes (oops, I got a bit carried away with the notes!). Okay, not spark notes, but you get my point. It has so many extra features, seeing as it's more of a Life Application and Study Bible than just an ordinary Bible. That means many, many people have put hours and hours of their time and effort (blood, sweat, and tears included) into this compilation for those like me to learn more about the Word of God and deepen my faith even more. (I know, my head is spinning just THINKING about it!) It's also specifically formatted to appeal to women. Yes, it's a BIBLE for WOMEN! (I'm pumped!!) It's a 'True Identity' Bible. It's to help women deal with life issues by defining their true identity in Christ through his Word. Once we as women understand who we are in God's eyes, who we are because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we can begin to see ourselves and our lives differently. And when we root our identities in Christ, we have the freedom, security and confidence to deal with the issues in our lives and not be overcome by them.

Here are a few features of this bible:

1. It's relevant to my life. The features of this Bible are both intellectually stimulating and relevant to everyday life. You won't find dry study notes that don't tie to life or feel-good devotions that don't tie to the Bible. You'll find personal, sophisticated, honest, practical advice. You''ll find relevance, redefined. (Hey, I'm just going by what it's telling me!)

2. Created for women. True Identity was written for Christian women in their twenties and thirties, with an emphasis on the issues women face during these years, such as career, dating, marriage, children, changing friendships, moving, etc. This is a time of transition for women. Other women outside this demographic will also relate to the issues and decide that this is the Bible for them. (Awesome!)

3. 100 Myths. Every day, you hear (and subconsciously believe) myths that the world tells you. Satan's tried-and-true weapon against you is lies. In this Bible, 100 of the most common myths are exposed. for each "Myth," you'll read a story (based on true stories of women's lives) about how believing that myth affected the woman's life. Then you'll explore what God's Word says so that the next time you hear the myth, you can name the lie and replace it with the truth. (relevancy, people! relevancy)

4. 30 Ask Me Anything. Hannah struggled with infertility. Leah lived in a loveless marriage. Deborah found a way to be a leader in a man's world. If you could sit down with the women of the Bible and have a one-on-one conversation, what would you ask them? The dates they lived? The historical context of their stories? Wouldn't you rather know how they dealt with the issues in their lives and what God taught them? The "Ask Me Anything" profiles are intimate interviews with the women of Scripture, as if they're your own friend or mentor. (Let's do this! ...and, mentor? I apologize in advance...)

5. 200 Conversations. Do you ever find yourself skimming over the top of a familiar passage of Scripture and wondering what you're missing? "Conversations" give you penetrating questions to reflect on, either alone as you read the Bible or as you discuss Scripture with a friend, group, or mentor. (truly understanding the Word)

6. 200 He Is. If your identify is rooted in God, then it's important to know who he is. The first part of each "He Is" note introduces you to God as he reveals himself in Scripture. The second part of the note teaches how that attribute of God affects who you are and how you think and live. (deepening my relationship by knowing who He is)

7. 300 At Issue. What does the Bible say about _____ (money, friendships, gossip, shopping, dating, etc.)? These short, hard-hitting notes on life topics bring you the Bible's teaching on the varied and sundry issues of life. (relevancy & life application, at its finest)

8. 66 Book Introductions. For each of the 66 Bible books, you'll find quick facts that help you put the book in context (author, audience, date, setting, verse to remember and theme to consider). You'll also find in-depth questions to consider as you read the book-which will add depth to your Bible study and help you remember what you're reading. (score!)

9. Articles. Have you tried to have a consistent quiet time...and failed? Do you long to have, or to be, a mentor? Do you wonder how to share your faith in a more natural way? Do you need ideas for what to read in the Bible? In the back of your Bible are a topical index and suggested Bible reading plans to help you get the most out of your time with God. (I chose a 52-week reading plan that did not come with this particular Bible, but we'll see how it goes!)

Okay, now if you're not excited to begin this journey will all of these helpful, exciting, relevant features, then you may leave now. Seriously, get off of my blog. Goodbye.

Now that we have only those that are STOKED to begin, let's do this! Now, I will explain the 52-week Bible reading plan that I chose. It's actually a common one I found by just googling 'read the Bible in one year'. It came in PDF format, so I printed it, and voila! Bible plan set in place. Every day of the week is set aside for a different genre: Sunday - Epistles, Monday - The Law, Tuesday - History, Wednesday - Psalms, Thursday - Poetry, Friday - Prophecy, and Saturday - Gospels. So, there you have it, in a nutshell. In one year/52 weeks/365 days, I will have gone through such an extensive but important journey and will have a deeper understanding of His Word and how to use and read the Bible and relate it to my life and today's issues.